Rick Ross, Dr. Dre and Jay-Z sued over ‘3 Kings’ sample

Written by FACT Team on Friday, February 8

The copyright owners of a gospel song sampled in ‘3 Kings’ take legal action against the hip-hop triumvirate.

Earlier this week, Clara Shepherd Warrick and Jimmy Lee Weary filed a lawsuit against the three rappers, as well as producer Jake One and Universal Music Group, over unauthorized sampling of gospel group Crowns of Glory’s 1975 recording ‘I’m So Grateful (Keep in Touch)’. The sample in question occurs in ‘3 Kings’, which appeared on Ross’ God Forgives, I Don’t.

The suit claims that the album lists Jimmy Lee Weary as one of the writers of the song, but that he was never compensated or contacted for permission to use the sample. Unsurprisingly, the gospel songwriters also take issue with the “very graphic depictions of drug use, vulgarity, nudity, gun violence, criminal conduct, actions demeaning to women and many other items” in the ‘3 Kings’.

The pair are suing for copyright infringement, unfair trade practices, unfair competition by misappropriation, conversion and unjust enrichment, calling for an injunction to prevent further distribution, performance, or commercial sale of the song, and are seeking an undetermined amount in damages.